Oct 30 2024
Streamlining PPC Workflows With AI: How Efficiency Meets Effectiveness via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

In the fast-paced world of PPC advertising, marketers are constantly seeking ways to streamline their workflows and improve performance.

Managing PPC campaigns efficiently requires a delicate balancing act of multiple tasks:

  • Analyzing data.
  • Optimizing bid strategies.
  • Testing creatives.
  • Reporting performance.
  • And so much more.

While AI and machine learning have been around in PPC for years, a new wave of AI tools for streamlining productivity and workflows has made its way into the PPC scene.

Whether it’s automating repetitive tasks, enhancing audience targeting, or analyzing vast datasets, AI tools are reshaping how PPC professionals work.

Who doesn’t want to save time doing repetitive, busy work tasks?

In this article, we’ll explore several unconventional ways AI tools can help PPC marketers save time, increase efficiency, and make smarter decisions.

Using AI To Automate Data Interpretation And Trend Insights

PPC campaigns can generate enormous amounts of data that need to be consistently analyzed and interpreted.

AI tools outside of the standard Google and Microsoft Ads platforms can help streamline this process by helping with tasks like:

  • Quickly summarizing key trends.
  • Look for patterns in performance data.
  • Identify any data anomalies for further analysis.

These insights can enable marketers to move from data to action faster.

Using AI Tools For Trend Identification And Insights

If you’d rather not manually sift through reports identifying changes in performance metrics changes, you can actually feed campaign data into ChatGPT (or similar AI tools) to receive summaries that highlight performance trends.

For example, they can help identify seasonal changes in performance or pinpoint potential issues, such as a sudden dip in conversion rate.

Say you run 20 different campaigns in Google Ads and start to see a significant drop in conversion rates from the platform. It can be daunting to immediately pinpoint the cause of the issue.

By processing raw performance data from your campaigns, these AI tools can quickly analyze the data and provide insight into not only where the problem(s) can lie, but also glean insights as to why performance has shifted, like:

  • Ad fatigue.
  • Increased competition.
  • A shift in consumer behavior.

Using AI tools in this capacity helps marketers cut down on analysis time while helping to identify core issues faster, allowing for quicker optimization.

This automation saves hours of manual work, enabling you to focus on more strategic decision-making instead of spending time analyzing large datasets.

Enhancing Competitor Analysis And Strategy Development

Keeping up with competitors is crucial in the PPC landscape, but the task at hand can be time-consuming and complex.

AI tools simplify this process by providing insights into competitors’ strategies, allowing you to stay one step ahead.

There are plenty of tools to help drive competitor insights, whether in the Google Ads platform, third-party tools, or AI tools.

If you’re looking to take the analysis a step further, you can input reports from other competitive analysis tools into ChatGPT (or a similar tool) to receive a quick summary that highlights a competitor’s recent actions.

For example, this could include information like:

  • Shifts in bidding strategies.
  • Introduction of new ad copies.
  • Keywords being targeted.

Based on this data, the AI tools can suggest ways to adjust your own campaigns or suggest counter-strategies to stay competitive.

By automating competitor analysis tasks, you can gain valuable insights faster, which allows for quicker, more informed decision-making and strategic actions.

Simplifying Multi-Account And Cross-Platform Reporting

Managing campaigns across multiple platforms – whether it’s Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta, or others – means compiling huge data sets from different sources.

Trying to put together a compelling, holistic story about your marketing campaigns can take up a lot of time as you navigate from platform to platform.

This is where the power of AI tools can come in to help aggregate reports and create cohesive summaries.

Streamlining Cross-Platform Reporting

Multi-channel reporting is often a daunting task, especially when managing accounts across Google, Microsoft, and social platforms.

By inputting performance data from these platforms into ChatGPT, marketers can receive a single, unified report that summarizes key performance indicators (KPIs) across channels.

For example, say you manage several campaigns across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Meta Ads.

Instead of switching between dashboards and manually pulling data, you can input the performance metrics from each platform into your AI tool of choice.

The tool can summarize the top-performing platforms, highlight underperforming campaigns, and suggest where to reallocate budgets to maximize ROI.

AI’s ability to consolidate multi-channel data helps reduce reporting time, enabling marketers to spend more time optimizing campaigns and less time on administrative tasks.

Keyword Research And Expansion With AI

Keyword research is at the core of every PPC strategy, and expanding keyword lists can be labor-intensive.

AI tools can make the process more efficient by identifying relevant keywords, negative keywords, and keyword variations that are often missed in traditional tools.

While tools like the Google Keyword Planner are great at providing keyword recommendations, AI tools can take it a step further.

They can generate items like long-tail keyword variations and help identify opportunities for new targeting strategies.

Additionally, they can analyze an existing keyword list and suggest related keywords that reflect user intent or emerging trends.

For example, say you manage PPC campaigns for an ecommerce retailer. You input a list of current top-performing keywords with your latest KPI performance data into your AI tool of choice.

From there, the tool can generate suggestions for new long-tail keywords that may have lower volume, but higher intent to purchase.

Additionally, you can ask the tool to suggest negative keywords to eliminate irrelevant traffic, which improves both relevance and cost efficiency.

To really kick this into high gear, you can then ask the tool to format these new keywords and negative keywords into a format that allows you to upload them into Google Ads Editor, saving you hours of manual work adding each one individually.

Using AI tools beyond the ad platforms can help marketers discover new opportunities faster, ensuring more comprehensive targeting with minimal manual effort.

AI-Assisted Testing And Creative Optimization

There’s no debate that A/B testing is critical to campaign optimization, but interpreting results and making decisions about the next steps is where most people fall flat.

Using AI tools to streamline this process can aid you in analyzing test data and suggest optimizations based on performance.

Say you want to test two different versions of a headline in a PPC campaign. You can upload your test performance data into an AI tool for analysis.

Not only will it summarize which headline performed better, but it goes a step further to help answer why one headline outperformed the other.

By providing insights into which elements contributed to success, it can save you time in the long run and help keep those driving factors top of mind for the next test.

AI For PPC Budget Allocation And Forecasting

Effective budget management is essential for optimizing PPC performance.

The ad platforms are great at automating tasks like changing daily budgets based on scripts, but what about strategic budget allocation decisions?

Using AI tools to assist budget allocation across campaigns or platforms by forecasting potential outcomes based on past performance data can streamline the process of deciding where to invest – and when.

For example, a retail client has an upcoming holiday sale and they want to know if they can expect a higher return than last year’s sale.

Inputting last year’s campaign performance into AI tools like ChatGPT can help analyze performance, while also taking into consideration current market trends.

The output could be to suggest how much of the budget should be allocated to high-performing keywords or certain product categories.

It can also provide a forecast of expected returns based on historical data, current CPC trends, and consumer behavior trends to help you make informed budget decisions ahead of time.

AI-driven budget forecasting helps ensure that resources are allocated to the right areas, reducing wasted spend and improving overall campaign performance.

Automating Market Trend Exploration And Forecasting

Market trends can shift quickly, and staying ahead of these changes is key to successful PPC campaigns.

AI tools can analyze search trends, consumer behavior, and historical campaign data to predict future shifts in demand and help marketers prepare.

For instance, AI tools can identify trends in consumer searches in real time, helping you adjust your campaign strategies proactively.

For example, you manage Google Ads campaigns for a fitness brand, and you’re noticing a seasonal uptick in searches for [home workout equipment].

By using AI tools to analyze Google Trends data, you can forecast how that demand will continue to rise or fall in the coming months, and even if certain geographical areas are driving the high demand.

This allows you to adjust bids based on location, increase overall budgets if necessary to help capture demand, and create relevant ad copy that speaks directly to the emerging trend.

Conclusion

AI is revolutionizing PPC workflows, allowing marketers to work smarter, not harder.

Whether you’re leveraging Google Ads’ AI capabilities, like Gemini’s conversational ad creation or integrating third-party tools for deeper insights, AI is becoming indispensable in managing and optimizing PPC campaigns.

From automating bid management and audience targeting to optimizing ad creatives and providing actionable insights, AI offers opportunities to boost efficiency without sacrificing effectiveness.

As AI tools continue to evolve, those who embrace these technologies will find themselves better equipped to deliver superior results, whether managing in-house campaigns or serving clients.

By integrating both Google’s AI features and powerful third-party tools, you can unlock new levels of performance, save time on manual tasks, and focus on strategy and innovation.

More resources:

Featured Image: 3rdtimeluckystudio/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Oct 23 2024
Google Rolls Out AI-Powered Updates To Performance Max Campaigns via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google Ads is enhancing its Performance Max campaigns with new AI-driven features.

These updates are focused on asset testing, video optimization, and campaign management.

The features arrive as advertisers gear up for the holiday shopping season.

Key Updates

New Asset Testing Capabilities

Starting in early November, retailers will gain access to new experimental features within Performance Max.

A key addition is the ability to measure the impact of supplementary assets beyond product feeds.

That means advertisers can measure the effectiveness of adding images, text, and video content to product-feed campaigns.

Google is also implementing Final URL expansion testing. This allows advertisers to evaluate whether alternative landing pages can drive better conversion rates by matching user intent.

Advanced Image Generation

Google is integrating Imagen 3, its latest text-to-image AI model, into the Google Ads platform.

This update aims to generate higher-performing visuals across Performance Max, Demand Gen, App, and Display campaigns.

The model has been trained on advertising performance data to create more effective commercial imagery.

Video Enhancement Tools

Google Ads is introducing automated video optimization features that include:

  • Automatic aspect ratio adaptation for different YouTube formats
  • Smart video shortening while preserving key messages
  • Granular control over enhanced video assets

These features roll out with built-in quality controls and opt-out options at the campaign and individual asset levels.

While most features are immediately available, video shortening for Demand Gen campaigns will launch in 2025.

Campaign Hierarchy Changes

There is a significant change in how Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns interact.

Instead of automatic prioritization for Performance Max campaigns, Google is introducing an Ad Rank-based system.

This new system determines which ads to serve when both campaign types target the same products within an account.

Improved Collaboration Features

Google is expanding shareable ad previews to Performance Max campaigns that include product feeds and travel objectives.

This simplifies the creative review process by allowing preview access without requiring Google Ads credentials.

Context

These updates demonstrate Google’s commitment to AI-driven advertising, particularly as businesses prepare for seasonal peaks.

This timely release suggests Google Ads is focusing on providing advanced tools for optimizing holiday marketing campaigns.

Looking Ahead

For advertisers currently using Performance Max, these updates provide new opportunities to optimize campaign performance with experimental features and improved creative capabilities.

The rollout starts immediately for most features. Specific tools, such as retail asset testing, will be available in early November, and video shortening for Demand Gen campaigns is expected to launch in 2025.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Oct 23 2024
[B2C Marketers] 5 Tips To Drive More Revenue With Google Ads AI via @sejournal, @invoca

This post was sponsored by Invoca. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own.

In today’s marketing world, AI is more than a buzzword — it’s a necessity.

Nearly 90% of marketers plan to increase their investment in AI this year, primarily focusing on boosting their Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

If you’re not using AI to maximize your ad budget, chances are your competitors are, which could leave you behind.

But don’t worry — there are plenty of AI tools to help you get more from your campaigns, boost productivity, and drive revenue growth without spending more on ads. One of the most impactful marketing tools is Google Ads Smart Bidding.

In this post, we’ll break down five essential Smart Bidding strategies that can help you drive more revenue.

Want the tips without reading? Check out the video series >>>

We’ll also explore how pairing Google’s AI with a revenue execution platform can elevate your ad performance.

What Is Google Ads Smart Bidding?

Google Ads Smart Bidding is an AI-driven tool that automatically adjusts bids in real-time to help you hit your campaign goals.

Its strength lies in its ability to analyze patterns and trends far quicker than any human could.

By optimizing your budget and freeing up your team for other high-value projects, Smart Bidding helps you focus on what matters most: growing revenue.

5 Tips to Drive Revenue With Google Ads Smart Bidding

Want the tips without reading? Check out the video series >>>

1. Align Your Bidding Strategy With Revenue Goals

Google Ads Smart Bidding offers multiple options tailored to different campaign objectives. Choosing the right strategy depends on your specific goals and budget. Here are a few:

  • Maximize Conversions: This Smart Bidding strategy sets bids to maximize the number of actions taken by users, such as sign-ups, purchases, or form submissions. It is ideal if you want to drive more actions like form fills, sign-ups, or purchases.
  • Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): With the target cost per acquisition (CPA) strategy, you specify the amount you’re willing to spend to acquire a customer. Google Ads then automatically sets bids to achieve that desired CPA. This strategy is best for maintaining cost efficiency by acquiring customers at a specific price.
  • Target ROAS: The target ROAS strategy allows you to set a specific ROAS goal, and Google Ads adjusts bids based on expected conversion values. If maximizing revenue while maintaining a specific ROAS is your priority, this is your go-to strategy.
  • Enhanced Conversions: You can use Enhanced Conversions to optimize for specific actions or events that hold significant value for your business. This strategy leverages machine learning to predict and adjust bids based on the likelihood of driving valuable conversions, improving the overall return on ad spend, and enhancing the efficiency of your marketing campaigns. According to Google, marketers who use this strategy see a 5% average conversion rate improvement on Search.

The key is continuously monitoring performance and adjusting to hit your revenue targets.

2. Use Advanced AI Tools To Reach More Customers

Google offers new AI tools to take your Smart Bidding strategy to the next level, helping you expand your reach. You can pair these tools with your desired bidding strategy.

Here’s what they are and how they work:

  • Broad Match: Use this tool to capture a wider audience by covering related searches and synonyms. Craft a comprehensive keyword list, incorporating broad-match keywords to increase visibility and attract potential customers who may use different search terms. According to Google, marketers who use Broad Match in Target CPA campaigns see 35% more conversions, on average.
  • Performance Max: This AI-powered tool optimizes your campaigns across all Google networks (YouTube, Google Maps, etc.) and ad formats to maximize results. With Performance Max, the AI technology automatically adjusts bids to achieve the best possible results, making it ideal for driving conversions and optimizing ad spend across Google’s expansive network. According to Google, marketers who use Performance Max achieve 18% more conversions at a similar cost per action. By pairing Broad Match with your chosen Smart Bidding model, you can maximize your query coverage on Google search.

By combining Broad Match with Performance Max, you’ll significantly increase your reach and boost conversions.

3. Use Revenue Execution Platforms To Supercharge Smart Bidding

AI is only as good as the data it’s fed, and many marketers miss a crucial piece of the puzzle: phone call conversions.

This can be a significant problem, as our research shows that 20-50% of conversions come in over the phone in many high-stakes purchase industries like healthcare, home services, automotive, and telecommunications.

If you’re not tracking all of those phone call conversions, your Google Smart Bidding instance is likely underperforming. That’s because automated bidding tools track the number of conversions each ad variation drives and then optimize bids based on what’s performing best. If you’re not tracking the phone call conversions your ads drive, you’re not giving the tool a complete picture of your performance.

Illustration, Invoca, October 2024
Illustration, Invoca, October 2024

A revenue execution platform like Invoca allows you to track these call conversions and feed them directly into Google Ads. This enables Google’s Smart Bidding AI to optimize more effectively, ensuring your ad dollars are spent on what truly drives revenue.

Check out this video series, to learn more about revenue execution platforms.

Illustration, Invoca, October 2024

4. Optimize Retargeting With Rich Data Insights

Retargeting is an incredibly cost-effective way to drive more conversions, especially when you’re targeting people who have already interacted with your brand. To enhance your retargeting efforts, first-party data is key — and phone conversations are a treasure trove of insights that can be unlocked with revenue execution platforms like Invoca.

Phone conversations contain more insights than an online form fill ever could — when your customers call you, they tell you about their needs, preferences, and how to make them happy. Invoca’s AI analyzes these conversations at scale and mines them for insights. The beauty of it is that you can easily train the AI to capture whichever data points are most relevant to your business — for example, you can track products callers expressed interest in, if they were price-sensitive, and if they made a purchase.

Check out the graphic below to see more of the data points you can collect with Invoca:

Illustration, Invoca, October 2024

With these deep conversation insights, you can build more complete customer profiles and retarget leads with more relevant ads. Below are a few common examples of retargeting and suppression strategies marketers use with Invoca’s first-party data:

  • Retarget callers who didn’t make a purchase with ads for the products they mentioned over the phone.
  • Retarget callers who bought over the phone with ads for relevant companion purchases.
  • Retarget callers who expressed price sensitivity with ads touting a special discount code.
  • Suppress callers who bought over the phone from seeing future ads for that product or service.

5. Detect & Solve Call Experience Issues

Many marketers lose potential revenue because they aren’t aware of call experience issues—missed calls, long hold times, or unoptimized call scripts that don’t convert leads. You could be flushing good leads down the drain without even knowing it. Using a revenue execution platform, you get detailed reports on call handling and identify areas where improvements are needed.

Invoca shows you the total number of calls your Google Ads campaigns send to each location or contact center, the number of calls answered, the name of the agent who handled the call, the number of leads, and the number of calls successfully converted to revenue.

If you notice specific locations or contact centers have high unanswered call rates, you can collaborate with them to improve call routing procedures and staffing. If you learn that some agents have low phone call conversion rates, you can review their call recordings and transcripts to learn the cause and notify their managers to help them improve.

You’ll increase conversion rates and revenue from your Google Ads campaigns when you work with your contact centers and locations to correct these issues.

Below is a sample Invoca report showing call handling by location:

Illustration, Invoca, October 2024

Addressing these issues, from ensuring calls are answered promptly to refining sales scripts, can lead to better conversion rates and higher revenue from your ad campaigns.

By following these five tips and integrating a revenue execution platform, B2C marketers can fully take advantage of Google’s AI capabilities, driving conversions and revenue from every marketing dollar spent.

Ready to learn more about how Invoca’s AI-powered revenue execution platform can help you level up your marketing? Check out this video series to see how it’s done.

WATCH THE VIDEO SERIES

Image Credits

Featured Image: Image by Invoca. Used with permission.

In-Post Image: Images by Invoca. Used with permission.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Oct 21 2024
Google Expands Travel Feeds In Search Ads via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google has announced an expansion of its Travel Feeds feature for Search Ads.

This update allows hotel advertisers to directly include more detailed information from their feeds in search results.

A Google support page reads:

“When you link your Hotel Center to Google Ads, Google will automatically enrich existing Search ad formats with prices, images, and more to help drive better performance.”

New Capabilities

The expanded feature lets hotel advertisers display the following information in their ads:

  • Hotel details
  • Current pricing
  • Available dates
  • Customer ratings
  • Property images

Google notes that advertisers can:

“Use the same feed data already available in Hotel Center and used by travel advertisers in hotel campaigns to enhance more ad types.”

The hotel price and landing page are automatically sourced from your Hotel Center feed, with selections based on ad relevance, creative, and query.

Multiple designs are available as part of Travel Feeds in Search Ads.

Google provided some examples. Note, these are mockups only.

Screenshot from support.google.com, October 2024.

Potential Impact

According to Google’s internal data, advertisers using the full range of available formats have observed up to a 20% increase in click-through rates.

However, individual results may vary, and these figures have not been independently verified.

Implementation

Google will automatically display Travel Feeds in Search Ads after you Link your Hotel Center feed to a Google Ads account.

You can set feed sharing controls at the account and campaign levels.

Key points:

  • If you need a Hotel Center account, refer to Google’s Hotels starter guide.
  • Create subset feeds to link specific properties.
  • Use URL parameters to track clicks from travel ads.

Availability

Advertisers must have a Hotel Center account with a price accuracy rating of at least “Poor ” to use Travel Feeds in Search Ads.

The feature is currently available in 21 countries and supports 12 languages.

Looking Ahead

The expansion of Travel Feeds in Search Ads represents one of several recent changes to travel-related search results.

Google plans to test the Travel Feeds feature beyond hotels.

In the coming months, Google will include other travel-related categories such as attractions, car rentals, and events.

Featured Image: support.google.com, October 2024. 

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Oct 21 2024
Why Connected TV Ads Are A Power Play For A Successful Ad Strategy via @sejournal, @LisaRocksSEM

Entertainment viewing habits have changed dramatically in recent years, leading search ad platforms to introduce connected TV (CTV) video ad opportunities alongside standard video and display ads.

Both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads provide advertisers with convenient access to a wide range of inventory and scale through their platforms.

What’s especially useful is that CTV ads can be managed within the same platform as search PPC ads, making it easy for advertisers to streamline their campaigns.

This means advertisers can get started with CTV ads with minimal hassle, reducing management complexity and costs.

First, What Are CTV Video Ads?

CTV ads are video ads that play on connected TV devices. These TVs can connect to the internet and stream content from apps like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.

Unlike traditional TV ads, which air during regular programming, CTV ads are shown while you’re watching your favorite streaming shows or movies.

CTV ads are basically the modern version of TV commercials, which are adapted for the streaming world.

Advertisers should pay attention to CTV ads because they offer a unique opportunity to engage audiences in a way that traditional TV advertising can’t match.

As streaming services continue to dominate the entertainment landscape, CTV ads allow advertisers to reach viewers who have cut the cord from cable and are consuming content on internet-connected devices.

The time people spend on streaming platforms is increasing, so CTV ads provide a direct and effective way to connect with engaged, attentive audiences in a variety of viewing environments.

In addition, the ad platforms help make CTV ads accessible to advertisers who found traditional TV out of reach.

The flexibility and data-driven approach of ad placements have become a powerful tool for maximizing advertising efforts as part of a well-rounded digital marketing strategy.

CTV Ad Campaign Purpose And Goals

CTV ads are most often used for brand awareness and upper-funnel goals.

These ads enhance brand recognition and visibility, expanding ad touch points across viewing platforms.

While their primary objective is to raise brand awareness, CTV ads can also support other stages of the marketing funnel to connect with potential customers.

Audiences can be targeted during their consideration and decision-making stages with messages and content designed to nurture leads and drive conversions.

Key Features Of CTV Video Ads

To fully understand why CTV ads are such a powerful strategy for advertisers, it’s important to highlight the key features that set them apart from traditional TV ads.

Targeted Advertising

Unlike traditional TV ads, CTV video ads can be targeted to specific audiences, similar to search ads and social media ads.

This means advertisers can customize their messages based on factors like age, interests, viewing behavior, and even location. This precision makes the ads more relevant and engaging for viewers.

Unskippable Formats

Many CTV ads are unskippable on TV screens, ensuring that the entire message reaches the viewer. This is a significant advantage over other video ad formats, where users can skip the ad after a few seconds.

Cross-Device Reach

Ads aren’t just limited to TV screens. They are also displayed on other devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. This multi-device reach allows advertisers to connect with viewers wherever they watch TV.

Measurable Impact

One of the key benefits of CTV ads is the ability to measure their effectiveness.

Advertisers can track metrics like ad completion rates, viewer engagement, and even business outcomes (site visits, sales, leads), gaining insights into how well the campaigns perform. Recent data suggests business outcomes have now become the primary success metric.

Even for seasoned PPC advertisers, diving into CTV ads can feel overwhelming at first.

The transition from search campaigns to video-based formats introduces new creative requirements and targeting options.

But don’t let the unfamiliarity hold you back. While the CTV setup process isn’t entirely intuitive, this article will guide you through the basics.

By leveraging the tools and strategies you already use in search ads, you’ll unlock new opportunities with CTV ads.

Google CTV Ads

Platforms

Google offers CTV ads in two ways. One is through the standard ad platform and the other is Display & Video 360 (DV360).

Google Ads (Standard Platform)

  • Google Ads primarily offers access to YouTube and a select group of CTV apps and publishers that partner with Google.
  • In the CTV space, Google Ads primarily focuses on delivering video ads through YouTube.
  • The YouTube app is available on devices such as smart TVs, game consoles, and streaming devices (Roku, Amazon Fire).
  • Ideal as a starting point for CTV campaigns, especially if you’re focused on YouTube and a few other platforms.

Display & Video 360 (DV360)

  • DV360 provides access to a much broader range of inventory, including premium CTV networks, programmatic TV, and a wider array of third-party apps and platforms.
  • It is designed for more complex, cross-channel campaign management. It allows for integrated planning, buying, and optimization across different media types, including video, display, audio, and native ads.
  • DV360 is ideal for larger advertisers or agencies that are handling more advanced digital strategies.

Networks

YouTube Ecosystem

YouTube ads and YouTube TV ads are both part of YouTube’s ecosystem, and advertisers purchase both through the Google Ads platform.

However, while the buying process is the same, Google places the ads based on the type of content:

  • YouTube Ads: Shown across YouTube’s main platform, including on YouTube Home, video watch pages, and in search results. These ads target users watching regular YouTube content (user-generated and professional videos) and can be skippable, non-skippable, or bumper ads.
  • YouTube TV Ads: These ads are shown specifically on YouTube TV’s live streaming service. Similar to traditional TV ads, they appear during live broadcasts and on-demand content from major networks and cable channels.

Google TV Ads

Google TV ads are purchased through the Google Ads platform, just like YouTube ads. This allows for managing and measuring campaigns all in one place.

However, they are shown on smart TVs through the Google TV platform. It acts as an operating system for smart TVs and streaming devices that consolidates content into one easy-to-use interface.

  • Access to content from various streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+) across over 125 channels.
  • Ads appear as in-stream video ads.

Note that when selecting the networks, YouTube must also be selected to access placements on Google TV.

This means, there is currently no way to target only Google TV.

screenshot of ctv networks setting in google adsScreenshot by author, October 2024

Looking strictly at CTV, YouTube TV has a massive opportunity for audience reach.

Google reported YouTube TV has surpassed 8 million subscribers, solidifying its position as the largest live TV streaming service in the U.S.

On the other hand, Google TV does not have a direct subscriber count like YouTube TV because it functions primarily as a content aggregation platform, offering a dashboard to access movies and TV shows from various streaming services.

According to Google, in the U.S., 60% of households now watch free, ad-supported streaming services and channels. Google TV and other retail Android TV OS devices will have 20.1 million addressable monthly active devices in the U.S. in 2023.

Various streaming services where Google TV ads are served:

  • YouTube.
  • Netflix.
  • Hulu.
  • Disney+.
  • Roku.
  • Paramount+.
  • Peacock.
  • Amazon Prime Video.
  • HBO Max.
  • Tubi.
  • Pluto TV.
  • Vudu.
  • Sling TV.
  • Apple TV.
  • Discovery+.

Audiences

A major power play here is Google’s CTV ad’s access to world-class audience targeting.

In contrast to traditional TV ads, which rely on broad, regional airings with limited customization, Google Ads allow for precise audience targeting.

Advertisers can tap into a variety of options to reach specific viewers:

  • Demographics: Gender, age, parental status, household income.
  • Interests/detailed demographics: In-market, affinity, life events.
  • Custom: Custom combinations, remarketing, customer match lists.
  • Content: Keywords, topics, placements.

Ad formats

Although Google provides a range of video ad formats for YouTube, only a select few are available for Google TV/CTV.

These formats are short, unskippable, and designed to fit seamlessly into the streaming experience.

To access CTV ad placements, the “non-skippable” or “efficient reach” campaign subtypes must be selected in the campaign set-up.

Ad formats that can serve on Google TV in-streamScreenshot by author, October 2024

Bid Strategy

With Google TV ads, the only available bidding strategy is cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM).

This means you’re paying based on how many times your ad is viewed, not on clicks, which helps focus on maximizing reach.

Your Target CPM is the average amount you’re willing to spend for every thousand impressions. Google Ads then optimizes bids around this target to help you get the most unique views possible.

Google Summary

For most advertisers, Google Ads is a solid choice for CTV campaigns, especially if you’re focused on YouTube and a few select platforms.

It’s user-friendly and set up for targeting and reach. The user experience is familiar if you are a regular advertiser.

However, there may be volume issues if the platform favors serving on YouTube over Google TV.

The key to utilizing Google Ads in the CTV realm is leveraging YouTube’s extensive reach across these devices and platforms to engage viewers with impactful video content.

How To Target CTV With Google – Step By Step

Google Ads Standard Platform

To access Google TV settings in campaign creation, the campaign must be a video reach, non-skippable format.

Step-by-step selections:

  1. New campaign.
  2. Choose your objective: Awareness and consideration.
  3. Select a campaign type: Video > Select a campaign subtype: Video reach > Select campaign subtype: Non-skippable reach or efficient reach.
  4. Ad formats: Select from multi-ad formats.
  5. Bid strategy: Pre-selected depending on the campaign subtype.
  6. Enter budgets and dates.
  7. Select networks > Select locations > Select languages.
  8. Select any related videos with YouTube URL.
  9. Additional settings: Devices, operating systems, advanced targeting for mobile phones and tablets.
  10. Select frequency capping > Select ad schedule > Select audiences.
  11. Create video ads: Provide the URL of the YouTube-hosted video to use as the ad.
  12. Bid is pre-set at CPM.
  13. Create campaign!

Microsoft CTV Ads

Platforms

Both Microsoft Ads platforms below cater to video advertising but target different environments and user behaviors.

Microsoft Ads (Standard Platform)

  • Offers a streamlined approach to CTV advertising through the standard ad platform.
  • Advertisers gain exclusive access to Netflix and a large video marketplace with 860+ CTV publishers, including major names like Disney+, Roku, Hulu, and more.
  • Setting up campaigns is straightforward and quick, requiring few clicks and no setup fees.

Microsoft Invest

  • Enterprise-level Demand-Side Platform (DSP) with a broader approach to video advertising across all screens, including CTV buying.
  • Designed for larger advertisers and agencies with significant ad budgets, looking to manage extensive video advertising campaigns.
  • A good fit for those with complex strategies and the need for advanced targeting and performance analytics.
  • Here, advertisers can access Netflix placements through guaranteed programmatic buys.
  • Smaller businesses or those with limited budgets may find it less accessible due to its enterprise-level features and focus.

Networks

Microsoft Ads CTV ads appear on a wide range of content on popular streaming platforms and connected TV apps, including services like Hulu and Roku.

This broad network is not Microsoft-owned or branded. Some premium networks and streaming platforms where the ads are served:

  • Netflix.
  • Roku.
  • Hulu.
  • Max.
  • Fox.
  • Disney+.
  • Peacock.
  • Paramount+.
  • LG Channels.
  • Discovery+.
  • Samsung TV Plus.
  • Pluto TV.
  • Tubi.
  • Vudu.
  • Amazon Fire TV.
  • Apple TV.
  • Sling TV.
  • Showtime.
  • YouTube TV.
  • Crackle.
screenshot of Microsoft CTV ads networksScreenshot by author, October 2024

Audience

Microsoft CTV ads provide powerful audience-targeting capabilities that are far beyond what traditional TV ads can offer.

Microsoft CTV ads use millions of first-party data points and advanced tools to reach audiences.

This level of precise targeting supports campaigns that are more efficient and more impactful than traditional TV ads.

Advertisers can leverage the following targeting for their campaigns:

  • Demographics: Key demographic factors such as age, gender, etc.
  • Genre Targeting: Align ads with specific content genres like action, comedy, business, or sports.
  • In-Market Audiences: Users actively researching or planning to buy products or services similar to advertisers.
  • Similar Audiences: Expands reach by targeting people who exhibit behaviors and interests similar to those of the existing audience.
  • Customer Match: Advertisers use their own customer data (such as email lists) to match to known users on Microsoft and subsequently target ads to them.
  • Remarketing: Re-engage people who have interacted previously with the brand.

Note: Microsoft provides a real-time audience meter on the right side of the set-up page. This instant feedback indicates if the targeting becomes too narrow, warning the campaign cannot be saved.

screenshot of genre targeting in microsoft ctv adsScreenshot by author, October 2024

Ad Formats

Video ads are responsive, meaning their format adjusts automatically to fit the experience of the CTV streaming service or page where they appear. The placement of the CTV ads depends on both the video quality and bid.

Both online video ads and CTV ads can run on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. For outstream video campaigns, placements are available only on desktop and tablet.

  • Online Video Ads: Play across devices within web content, including websites and apps, engaging users while they browse. They may appear in instream and outstream placements on the Microsoft Advertising Network. Instream placements include ads that appear while people stream media online.
  • Outstream-Only Video Ads: They appear outside of traditional video content, such as within articles or social feeds, and integrate naturally into page content.

Creating CTV ads is simple – just provide:

  1. A destination URL.
  2. The video to upload.

Also available are AI-generated “recommended videos” that pull text and images from your final URL to create a video ad using predefined templates.

screenshot showing CTV ad creation for Microsoft AdsScreenshot by author, October 2024

Bid Strategy

Microsoft Advertising uses cost-per-completed view (CPCV), optimizing bids based on the price the advertiser is willing to pay per completed video view.

With automated bidding, bids are adjusted automatically to meet performance goals. CPCV should typically range between $0.01 and $0.20. for CTV ads here.

screenshot of bidding on Microsoft CTV adsScreenshot by author, October 2024

Microsoft Results

According to Microsoft and Roku internal data, recent research shows that using CTV ads on the Microsoft Ads platform leads to some notable results.

Advertisers see an 18% increase in click-through rates for audience ads, along with a 9% lift in brand searches from users who were exposed to these ads.

Advertisers can access custom measurement solutions and brand lift studies at no extra cost while running these ads.

How To Target CTV With Microsoft – Step By Step

Microsoft Ads Standard Platform

Step-by-step selections:

  1. New campaign.
  2. Choose your goal: Brand awareness > Select a campaign type: Connected TV (CTV).
  3. Enter budget.
  4. Bid strategy: Cost per completed view (CPCV).
  5. Enter bid and frequency capping > Enter locations.
  6. Netflix terms and conditions: Includes video quality and other restrictions.
  7. Enter age, if applicable > Enter gender, if applicable.
  8. Select audiences.
  9. Genre, if applicable.
  10. Enter ad schedule.
  11. Ad: Add videos and the Final URL
  12. Save!

Top Takeaways

Integrating CTV ads into digital strategy is an effective way to grow reach and enhance overall performance, all with simpler ad management than ever before.

Today, we takeaway:

  • Simplified Management: CTV ads can be managed within the same platform as search PPC ads, streamlining campaigns and reducing costs.
  • Enhanced Audience Targeting: Ads provide precise targeting for reaching engaged viewers across streaming platforms, making ads more relevant and impactful.
  • Growing Opportunity: With the shift toward streaming services, CTV ads are a valuable way to reach cord-cutters and expand the campaign’s reach.

More resources: 

Featured Image: vectorfusionart/Shutterstock

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Oct 16 2024
What Is Click-Through Rate & Why CTR Is Important via @sejournal, @beyondthepaid

Search engines place a high premium on a good click-through rate (CTR).

After all, in the pay-per-click model, the more someone clicks, the more money that search engine makes.

But CTR is important to advertisers, too. CTR tells you how well your message aligns with the people seeing it and whether you capture their interest.

When a user turns to a search engine, they have a question and are looking for an answer. They are expressing a need or want.

What makes Search so great is users are telling you exactly what they are looking for! They’ve already decided they need something and are now trying to find it.

Creating a relevant paid search ad is your first step as an advertiser in fulfilling that need. And CTR is one way of knowing whether you are fulfilling that need for searchers when they see your ads.

This guide will explain what click-through rate is, what a good CTR is, how it impacts your Ad Rank and Quality Score, and when a low CTR is considered OK.

What Is Click-Through Rate (CTR)?

Put simply, a click-through rate is the percentage of impressions that result in a click.

If your PPC ad had 1,000 impressions and one click, that’s a 0.1% CTR.

As a metric, CTR tells you how relevant searchers are finding your ad to be.

If you have a:

  • High CTR: Users are finding your ad to be highly relevant.
  • Low CTR: Users are finding your ad to be less relevant.

The ultimate goal of any PPC campaign is to get qualified users to come to your website and perform a desired action (e.g., make a purchase, fill out a lead or contact form, download a spec sheet).

CTR is the first step in the process of improving your ad’s relevancy and generating those desired actions.

What Is A Good CTR?

So, what’s a good click-through rate? Clients ask me this all the time.

The answer, as with many things in PPC, is “it depends.”

CTR is relative to:

  • Your industry.
  • The set of keywords you’re bidding on.
  • Individual campaigns within a PPC account.

It isn’t unusual to see double-digit CTR on branded keywords when someone is searching for your brand name or the name of your branded or trademarked product.

It also isn’t unusual to see CTRs of less than 1% on broad, non-branded keywords.

How CTR Impacts Ad Rank

CTR is not just an indication of how relevant your ads are to searchers. CTR also contributes to your ad rank in the search engines.

Ad Rank determines the position of your ad on the search results page.

That’s right – PPC isn’t a pure auction.

The top position doesn’t go to the highest bidder. It goes to the advertiser with the highest Ad Rank – and CTR is a huge factor in the Ad Rank formula.

But Ad Rank is even more complicated than that. Google measures your actual CTR against an expected CTR at the time of the auction.

So, if you’ve run a lot of ads with a low CTR, Google will assume that any new ads you add to your Google Ads account are also going to have a low CTR, and may rank them lower on the page.

This is why it’s so important to understand the CTR of your ads and to try to improve it as much as possible.

A poor CTR can lead to low ad positions, no matter how much you bid.

How CTR Impacts Quality Score

Quality Score is a measure of an advertiser’s relevance as it relates to keywords, ad copy, and landing pages.

The more relevant your ads and landing pages are to the user, the more likely it is that you’ll see higher Quality Scores.

Quality Score is calculated by the engines’ measurements of expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.

A good CTR will help you earn higher Quality Scores.

While Quality Score is not a factor in the ad auction, it is an indicator of expected performance and will impact your CPCs.

Use Quality Score to diagnose how your ads will show, and to improve your ad copy and landing pages.

When A Low CTR Is OK

Since CTR is so important, should you optimize all of your ads for CTR, and forget about other metrics, like conversion rate?

Absolutely not!

Success in PPC is not about Ad Rank and CTR.

I could write an ad that says “Free iPhones!” that would get a great CTR. But unless giving away iPhones is the measure of business success for me, such an ad won’t help my business become profitable.

Always focus on business metrics first, and CTR second.

If your goal is to sell as many products as possible at the lowest possible cost, you should optimize your PPC campaigns for cost per sale.

If your goal is to generate leads below a certain cost per lead, then optimize for cost per lead.

Unless your business goal is to drive lots of PPC traffic, CTR should not be your main KPI.

In fact, there are times when a low CTR is OK – and maybe even a good thing.

One of those times is when dealing with ambiguous keywords.

Ambiguity is a necessary evil in any PPC program. People may search for your product or service using broad keywords that mean different things to different people.

Here’s an example: “Security.”

Let’s say you run a company that sells physical security solutions to businesses to protect them from break-ins.

Your company wants to bid on the term “security” to capture users who are just beginning to think about their security needs. It sounds like a great strategy, and it can be.

But “security” can mean a lot of different things. People might be looking for:

  • Credit card security.
  • Financial security.
  • Data security.
  • Home security.
  • Security guard jobs.

And that’s only five examples I thought of in a few seconds. See how disparate those are?

Let’s say you decide to bid on “business security,” since it’s more relevant.

It’s still a broad term – and your CTR might not be great. But let’s also say you get a lot of leads from that keyword – at a good cost.

Should you pause that term because of a low CTR?

Of course not!

Always let performance be your guide.

Low CTR is perfectly fine, as long as your keywords and ads are performing well based on your business objectives.

This screenshot is a perfect example of a keyword with a relatively low CTR but a lower cost per lead than the high CTR keyword.

a keyword with a relatively low CTR but a lower cost per lead than the high CTR keyword.Screenshot from author, September 2024

When A High CTR Isn’t OK

High CTRs may not be ok, either.

If you have a high CTR but a low conversion rate, that indicates a problem.

Either your keywords are not a good match for your landing page, or your landing page isn’t converting well.

campaigns listed have a strong CTR and lots of clicks, but few conversionsScreenshot from author, September 2024

In this case, the campaigns listed have a strong CTR (the average for this account is just over 6%) and lots of clicks, but few to no conversions.

We found that our keywords were triggering a significant number of irrelevant search queries, bringing unqualified users to the site.

CTR should never be viewed in a vacuum. It’s one of many key metrics to review when assessing the success or failure of a PPC campaign.

Conclusion

CTR is an important metric for PPC managers to understand and monitor.

Optimizing for CTR, while also optimizing for business metrics, will lead to successful PPC campaigns.

More resources: 

Featured Image: eamesBot/Shutterstock

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Oct 9 2024
Google: 5 Ways DOJ Proposals Harm Business and Consumers via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Google responded to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust proposals for breaking up the company to address its dominance in search and online advertising, asserting that the remedies will harm user security, raise costs for consumers across industries, and stifle AI innovation.

Google’s response presented three arguments on why the DOJ proposals may backfire on consumers and disrupt innovation across industries. They also made two points about search and advertising that challenge widely held opinions.

Three Reasons Why DOJ Proposals May Harm Innovation

Google makes three arguments about the DOJ proposals hat outline how they might cause harm to consumers and lead to a decrease in innovation.

1. Privacy And Security Risks

One of the DOJ’s proposals is for Google to share its search query, click and search data with competitors. Google’s response asserts that sharing that information with competitors will create a privacy and security risks for users because search queries can contain sensitive and highly personal information that could compromise users security by increasing the likelihood that bad actors can access the information.

Google’s response cited a New York Times article from 2006 that documents how a data breach at AOL showed how a user’s search data reveals personal data despite that their actual identities are hidden. The reporters were able to use search queries to track down a 62 year old widow in Georgia.

The New York Times reported:

“It did not take much investigating to follow that data trail to Thelma Arnold, a 62-year-old widow who lives in Lilburn, Ga., frequently researches her friends’ medical ailments and loves her three dogs. “Those are my searches,” she said, after a reporter read part of the list to her.

AOL removed the search data from its site over the weekend and apologized for its release, saying it was an unauthorized move by a team that had hoped it would benefit academic researchers.”

2. Risk Of Stifling AI Innovation

The current boom in AI is largely due to many of Google’s discoveries that were subsequently open sourced, none more profound than transformer technology which was invented and open sourced in 2017. By open-sourcing this innovation, Google laid the foundation for generative AI models like ChatGPT and many other AI applications that rely on transformers today.

Google claims that the remedies the DOJ seeks will “hold back” innovation because the industry itself is at its infancy, is highly competitive and there are no monopolies needing a remedy to fix.

The response asserts:

“There are enormous risks to the government putting its thumb on the scale of this vital industry — skewing investment, distorting incentives, hobbling emerging business models — all at precisely the moment that we need to encourage investment, new business models, and American technological leadership.”

3. DOJ Proposals Will Negatively Impact Many Industries

Google has invested billions of dollars to create, maintain and improve both Android and Chrome and open source the technology, allowing multiple industries and businesses to grow around both technologies.

Android is an open source operating system for mobile phones that has become the global leader because it’s open source and allows mobile phone technology to become accessible to billions around the world at reasonable prices. Chrome browser is another open source technology that serves as the foundation for other competing browsers.

Both Android and Chrome underpin multiple technologies and industries from televisions, fitness devices, automobile devices, laptops and app ecosystems.

Google claims that the DOJ’s proposal to split Android from Google would cause a decrease in investment in the technology and raise the cost of all the devices that currently depend on Android and Chrome.

Two Claims That Challenge Assumptions About Search And PPC

Google defends its dominance in advertising and search by making claims that may contradict commonly held assumptions and challenge businesses to rethink what a disruption in both.

1. Restrictions On Search Distribution

Google challenges restrictions on partnerships with other platforms that allow Google Search to be the default search engine. Google claims that these restrictions are overbroad and may result in less income for open source innovators like Mozilla and cause an increase in costs to consumers for products like mobile phones.

2. Proposals For Online Advertising Will Harm Consumers And Businesses

Google claims that changes to their online advertising business will make it less useful for businesses and ultimately negatively impact consumers. They also claim that changes to the current system will negatively impact small publishers.

They write:

“Google’s innovative ads system has leveled the playing field for small businesses and publishers. Small advertisers can reach customers the same way as large ones do — with no minimum spend and no upfront commitments. And this ads system helps small websites earn revenue from online advertising, just like large publishers.”

Both claims challenge many popularly held assumptions about Google’s dominance in search and online advertising.

Google At A Crossroad

The DOJ is presenting remedies for what they claim are monopolistic practices that have harmed competition. Google rebuts those claims by offering examples of how their innovations have created opportunities to grow new industries, create competition and decrease costs for consumers.

Read Google’s response here:

DOJ’s radical and sweeping proposals risk hurting consumers, businesses, and developers

Featured Image by Shutterstock/Longfin Media

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Oct 8 2024
Google Launches Video Generation In Product Studio via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

Google just announced new AI-powered video creation capabilities in Product Studio today.

With over 50% of the market share shifting to digital video ads, this update makes video creation for brands of all sizes easier to enter the market.

Curious how to get started? Read on for the full update.

Video Generation Capabilities

Within Product Studio, marketers can now transform their current product images into high-quality, dynamic videos.

To get started, you’ll select the product you want featured, and then will choose a video theme.

The AI video generation tool can then customize the video to include specifics like:

  • Enhance images
  • Highlight product attributes
  • Match brand guidelines
  • Add audio
  • Customize headlines
  • Unique product callouts
  • And more.

To make it easier for advertisers, Google said “These videos can be downloaded to use across Ads campaigns, Merchant Center, your website, or other marketing channels.”

Video generation is available in Merchant Center, or the Google and YouTube app within Shopify.

How to Get Started

In order to start generating videos in Merchant Center, you’ll need to have brand information set up within the platform.

This includes your brand colors and logo.

Then, within Merchant Center Next, navigate to the “Products” page, then click “Product Studio.” To choose a product, click “Get started”.

Product Studio within Google Merchant Center Next

From there, select the product you want to generate a new video for.

This is where you’ll select a theme and choose from a variety of the optional add-ons, like a headline or audio tracks.

The video generation can take a few minutes, and then you’ll have the option to generate a high-res video or download a low-res video for easy sharing capabilities.

Summary

As of the announcement, video generation in Product Studio is only available for merchants in the United States.

Google does plan to expand to additional countries in the near future, but no concrete timeline as of yet.

Creating product videos for cross-channel marketing efforts is about to get more streamlined for many advertisers, right in time for the holidays.

The update can save marketers valuable time and resources on creatives, which allows them to shift the focus on other high priority items that may arise during a busy Q4 season.

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Oct 8 2024
PPC Trends Coming In 2025 According To 7 Experts via @sejournal, @BennyJamminS

Paid media has had its share of challenges alongside the disruption in SEO this year.

We reached out to seven PPC experts to understand what’s happening in the industry and how marketers can prepare for the year ahead.

To get the full rundown on trends for next year, download the PPC Trends 2025 ebook. In the ebook, you’ll see insights from:

  • Menachem Ani, Founder & CEO, JXT Group.
  • Andrea Atzori, Director, Ambire.
  • Navah Hopkins, Evangelist, Optmyzr.
  • Ameet Khabra, Founder, Hop Skip Media.
  • Brooke Osmundson, Director of Growth Marketing, Smith Micro Software, Inc.
  • Kirk Williams, Founder & Owner, ZATO PPC Marketing.
  • Ben Wood, Performance Director, Hallam.

Here’s a bit about what they said.

Platforms Are All-In On AI

The loss of fine controls that many PPC experts predicted to come with generative AI integration seems to have gone ahead, with many platforms pushing advertisers to use new AI products.

Based on how much the major platforms are spending on AI technology, these algorithm-based campaigns and generative AI-based creative features are likely to continue the march forward.

This is good news in some ways and not so much in others. There will be plenty of opportunities for PPC marketers to remove repetitive and time-consuming tasks from workflows. However, it may become more difficult to assert human control and maintain human insights about your audience through the messaging.

AI can power stronger personalization, but you also must be careful where it might mix with privacy concerns.

Privacy And Third-Party Cookies Are Messy

Privacy has been one of the most frustrating and confusing developments over the last year. Google’s approach to deprecating third-party cookies feels like it’s sitting in a field plucking the petals off a daisy – “I love third-party cookies, I love them not.”

For now, Google Chrome is keeping third-party cookies, but that doesn’t mean all is well. Privacy regulations and expended user controls will likely erode the viability of third-party data as time goes on.

Many PPC marketers are looking for ways to build closer relationships with audiences, gain vital opt-in first-party data, and leave third-party tracking behind. Just because it isn’t going away yet doesn’t mean it’s here to stay.

The good news is that many of the experts agree in their approach to these core issues.

In the ebook, you can discover which potential uses of AI they lean into and which they view with skepticism. You can also find out how they view data sources and audience cultivation.

There are many more insights, as well, about new networks and omni-channel strategies, tracking behavior, and other topics.

Download PPC Trends 2025 for actionable tips to get a head start on the year ahead.

PPC Trends 2025

Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal

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Oct 8 2024
Microsoft Ads Makes Copilot Advancements via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

Microsoft Ads made some significant enhancements for ads in Copilot last week.

Not only have they made updates to the Copilot user experience, they’ve integrated more AI features for advertisers within Microsoft Ads.

These updates continue to shape how users interact with Copilot and how advertisers interact with the Microsoft Ads platform.

Let’s take a look at the new updates rolling out.

New Streamlined Experience for Ads in Copilot

Part of the evolution of Microsoft Copilot is aiming to simplify, yet personalize, the user’s digital experience.

The update will now better depict the difference between an organic listing and a sponsored conversation within Copilot.

They’re making that happen by featuring ads in Copilot below the Copilot organic response.

To make the experience more relevant to users, there will be fewer annotations and extensions shown.

Additionally, ads will now be triggered based on the whole conversation within Copilot, not just the last prompt a user gives.

Copilot has released a feature called “ad voice” which will introduce how the ads are relevant and connected to their Copilot conversation. This is shown before an ad blocker to give the user a chance to experience the ads within the conversation.

The updated experience will roll out later this month, starting on copilot.microsoft.com, and then will expand to both iOS and Android apps, along with the experiences in Bing and Microsoft Edge.

New Generative AI Tools in Microsoft Ads Platform

On the other side of Copilot updates, there’s a few new features using Copilot’s AI technologies to help advertisers boost productivity and insights.

Diagnostics Tool

The new Diagnostics feature in Copilot for Microsoft Ads will help lend a hand to advertisers to review items like:

  • Campaign setup
  • Assess overall account health
  • Diagnose where to shift attention or focus to
  • Provide next steps on a diagnosis

This takes place within the Copilot conversation experience and is set to start piloting later this month.

It’s goal is to save advertisers time on day-to-day campaign management so they can spend more time analyzing and optimizing their accounts.

Performance Snapshot

Another new feature within Copilot for Microsoft Ads is the performance snapshot.

Similar to the diagnostics tool, advertisers will use the conversational experience to ask Copilot how their accounts are doing.

They can get insights on items like:

  • Summary of key insights
  • Account or campaign key insights
  • Trends
  • Any anomalies
  • And more.

The performance snapshot will also start piloting later this month, and will gradually roll out to all eligible regions when available.

Summary

Microsoft continues to develop and evolve its solutions from direct feedback from users and advertisers, which is a welcome experience for advertisers alike.

For advertisers already using Microsoft Ads, look for these key features in the upcoming weeks or months.

If you’re not currently using Microsoft Ads, it may be worth testing out a portion of your PPC budget this season to compare how its performance measures up against your Google Ads campaigns.

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